Blazers want to add defensive center

Neil Olshey is targeting a draft day trade in which the Portland Trail Blazers absorb the contract of a proven, defensive center in exchange for one or more draft picks.
 
"We are going to be aggressive to construct a deal to make the team better on draft night," Olshey said.
 
Anderson Varejao has been mentioned as a possible target of the Blazers, who want to upgrade at center from J.J. Hickson.
The Blazers could use most of their expected $11.6 million in cap space to execute the trade.
 
"If there is a player under contract that we can absorb into our room on a team that values a draft pick more than the established player, or they are moving in a different direction and it moves us forward faster, it's clearly what we are going to do," Olshey said.
 
Via Jason Quick/Oregonian

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buzzy said:

Maybe. 
They're currently the third youngest team in the NBA though and have someone that could easily develop into a top 5 PG. I don't know, I have high hopes for them, always liked 'em.

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I think the Blazers have a couple of alright pieces, but they will never be a team that will compete for home court in the playoffs. They don't have any perennial all-stars, Aldridge is a fringe All-Star but he seems to be moving down the latter while other guys move up, I wouldn't even say he's as good as Chris Bosh, he's just not the force you need at that position. I mean he's good, but if he's going to win a title it's going to have to be next to a LeBron James/Kobe Bryant type player where he's the 2nd or 3rd option (think Pau Gasol, and I'm still not sure he's as good as Pau was). Batum may have one good season like Josh Howard and sneak in as a 12th man, but he isn't a All-Star caliber player. Damian Lillard is a guy that will be in the conversation, but will probably be left looking in more times than not. I just don't really see a great foundation, game changer, or franchise changer.

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